Keir Hardie Mosaic Project gets underway

As part of the Canning Town and Custom House Regeneration, Countryside Properties together with William Sutton Housing Association and the London Borough of Newham are sponsoring a special art project for Keir Hardie Primary School in Newham.

Children aged between five and eleven from the school’s Gifted and Talented group have produced a 2ft by 2ft mosaic plaque that will take pride of place in their new school, which will be built as part of the regeneration of the area.

The theme chosen for the plaque is a motif of a peacock and other symbols such as hearts and hands. The peacock was chosen because of its colourful appearance and it’s conations of pride and multi-faith. They attended a workshop where they had the opportunity to create their own designs, and to lay the tiles on the final mosaic.

Sadie Houston for Ed Art, a Community Art Consultancy who have organised the project says: “The peacock is an ancient symbol found in many cultures around the world and is a very suitable motif for Keir Hardie School. We wanted to involve as many of the children as possible so different classes have also done research for the project through art and design, science and R.E lessons.”

Michael Hill, Business Development Director for Countryside Properties, says: “We are delighted to sponsor such a worthwhile art project. It is important to Countryside Properties to support and be involved with the communities in which we build. We are looking forward to seeing the final piece when it is revealed in a special ceremony later this month.”

Chair of the Canning Town and Custom House Regeneration Project Board, Councillor Conor McAuley added: "We were very keen to support the school in this project. It enables the children to put their mark on the new school building where the mosaic will be displayed. I hope they enjoyed taking part and found it interesting when researching and designing the piece and I Iook forward to seeing the final piece."

The £800m Regeneration of Canning Town and Custom House in Newham is now well underway. Countryside Properties is currently undertaking the demolition works and construction of the first of the new homes is expected to begin in 2008.

Once completed, the first stage of this exciting and important project will provide around 600 new mixed tenure homes together with new school buildings and a playground for Keir Hardie Primary School, community facilities and high quality open space.

The different tenures will be ‘pepper potted’ throughout the development creating a truly mixed, sustainable community. The dwellings will consist of medium and low rise apartments, maisonettes and houses, with a strong emphasis on family homes. The affordable new homes will be managed by William Sutton housing Association.

This is the first phase of the regeneration of Canning Town and Custom House which will see around 8,000 new homes and community facilities built over the next 15 years.